Follow the light to read with insight

Pathlight: New Chinese Writing, the first English-language issue of People's Literature magazine, was published for the first time in November, after brewing in the minds of Li Jingze, editor-in-chief of People's Literature and Pathlight, and his colleagues, for more than a year.

Li says the magazine caters to overseas publishing, research and cultural institutions, and readers who are interested in new writers, works and trends in Chinese literature.

"We hope the magazine will serve as a light on the path of cultural exchanges between China and other countries," he says.

Qiu Huadong, assistant to the editor-in-chief of People's Literature - the first literary monthly after the founding of New China - and one of the editorial directors of Pathlight, says preparations for the launch of the English magazine started in the latter half of 2010.

They got in touch with Eric Abrahamsen, literary translator and founder of Paper-Republic.org, and decided he would help recruit eligible translators.

Thirteen native English speakers with literary translation experience have been selected to do the translations.

"From our point of view, one of the attractive things about doing this magazine is we can use it to develop new literary translators," Abrahamsen says.

Qiu says that apart from featuring the already established Mao Dun Literature Prize winners, emphasis is given to rising stars, whom overseas readers likely don't know.

The magazine can be found at the Bookworm and Sanlian Bookstore in Beijing and will be distributed internationally soon through Chinese embassies and Confucius Institutes.

Wang Miaomiao, book manager of the Bookworm, says the magazine has been very well received.

The second issue, scheduled to be published in March, will feature a score of Chinese writers present at the 2012 London Book Fair.